A "Swimming" Elephant's Foot? - 4

Notes on the design of a new pipe

Grade 45, made in 2005

2.  ... Origins of the "Swimming Elephant"  (concluded)

Chicago 2005

Teddy brought a number of elephant-foot variations to Chicago in 2005.  While to my eye, "Swimming Elephant" appears to be the most fluid and flowing of the lot, all these pipes have more grace and flexibility than many traditional elephant's foot designs.

TWO ELEPHANT'S FOOT PIPES WITH HORN SHANKS

(the one on the left is a SITTER)

ELEPHANT'S FOOT WITH IVORY RING

One of the most "upright" of the Chicago group

"PLUMP" ELEPHANT'S FOOT

3.  Carving detail:

Fluting the elephant

Teddy handles the fluting on the straight-grain panel with extraordinary gracefulness.  The indentation is at its deepest along the bowl's rim, then rises slowly till, about three or four fifths down the bowl, the panel becomes flat across its top.  The transition is handled so gently that it's hard for either eye or finger to tell exactly when the panel loses its fluting.  The following photos attempt to reveal the delicacy with which Teddy has handled his shaping.

How many pipe-makers would have taken the time to create this kind of flowing, ineffable movement?  The suppleness of the panel adds immeasurably to the sense of pliability and softness in the entire pipe ... once again, making the briar seem to breathe. 

The attention Teddy has paid to this detail demonstrates the affinity I sense between him and Tokutomi ... for certainly Toku is another carver who spends all the time necessary to make his shapes as fluid and flexible as possible.

BELOW:  Just look at the gorgeous line of this panel, sited from the foot back up to the rim!  The sinuous curves flow in several directions at once, both on the bowl's surface and within its volume.  The photograph can only hint at the wonderful three-dimensionality of this movement.